Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-08-19

CHAPTER IA LAWN TENNIS PARTY.
"Is your friend Captain Lonsdale, with
whom you danced so often this sea-
son.
."Who danced so often with me. There
is q difference, Miss Tremayne."
"WeIl, is he here today"
81 think not. DO you know him?"
"Oh, so well; met Montague so often
il Calcutta, at the Government House,
the race course, on the EsplaGade, aud
everywhere else"
"Montague!" thought Miss Talbot,
ever whose soft face 6 shadow Of annoy
sDCe passed.
Considering that since the commence
ment OF the London season in question,
Melsnie Talbot had been engaged TO
Montague L0nsdale, she had some cause
to resent the free appropriation of his
Christian name by the brilliant and
fighty Hiida Trcmsyne, the enterprising
daughter-.he only and spoiled one-ot
an Indian general, then on leave in E1g-
land.
Hilda, 8 garrison belle, but of very
superior fashion, WAS well up in I'll mill
taTy society, and WAS decidedly popular
at Aldershot, F0lkeStone and other red
coat circles within easy distance CT Lon
don.
she and her friend, or acquaintance,
rather, were two more than handsome
girls, and were guests at ChiIIington Park,
q stately place on the Thames, an hour or
so distant by rail from town; and both
were enjoying to the fullest extent bril-
liant lawn tennis party, given by the aunt
Of the latter, Mrs. Cni.Iington, 8 wealthy
and fashionable widow, Of whom more
anon, end whose social gatherings, es-
pecially Of this kind, were extremely pop
ular.
Lawn tennis IS essentially d i5yiGl,
graceful and friendly game, that brings
into contact many who otherwise migh.
never meet or learn 10 know each other,
making like the Scottish golf, for older
fclks) alI its Yot&ries kin, at least for the
time; and it is the one great game in
which the youth OF both sexes can meet
On almost equal terms, and in which ie-
male play is almost equal TO male in deX-
terity.
Few sights can surpass, in attraction, 6
tennis lawn in the we kept grounds at
tached TO 3 stately English house, such as
the smooth green sWarG, the MEETINGS
tigh " "belayed," and the players of both
sexes instheir piquante and bright-cOl-
cured costumes, arfayed for the merry
struggle, with goodly number OF gossip
lDg friends and chaperons, now too Old to
handle racquet or display their ti!ures,
seated on benches and sofas under the
broad and Iustling LEAKAGE Of summer.
Tho fJ1ippt 81 ba 10
voices, their pure, happy laughter, is then
mingled with the music OF the band, that
adds zest to their enjoyment without
disturbing them, whilst the sunny sir is
laden with the fragrance OF the season
from the psrterce and border, where dark
and yellow wall flowers, clumps of Iaven-
der-colored &uoreti2, patches of white
csndytutt, clusters Of poly8ntOus, sheets
Of pansies and tulips of every shade and
hue are seen.
At ChillingtOn, to the bank of the river
far stretched the velvety lawn OF emerald
green, shaded by tail and ancient trees:
Where-till Augustine nightingale
proved himself sleepless by day as wen
SIS night, while the cows swung their
long tails in the soft breeze, till they
could be driven quietly home to be
MIXED.
Liveried servants and other "helps"
went round with iced champagne cups,
Strawberries and cream, or the Inevitable
O'Clock tea, all the more enjoyable amid
such scene, and amid so many sweet
sounds in the warm open air and on the
fresh and fragrant grass. On the latter,
young fellows were lounging at the feet
Of girls on rustic chairs, tanning them
CplvpS wifi fbair +o1J
the usual cOmmon-plaCes; and there, too,
was more than one stately dOwager
prOmenading slowly or seated amid
rosebushes, talking scandal, perhaps, over
dainty cups of tea and dishes of
town." says az essayist, "laWn tennis as
q rule means lawn tennis, and nothing
more; the game, the whole game, and
nothing but the game: and lawn tennis
has, pertorce, to dispense with buttercGys
and daisies, nut matches, singing birds,
and parterres Of snimmering flowers. A
good ground good balls, ard good play
ers suffice, for the object is muscular, not
aesthetic. Possibly some earnest urbane
devotees of the game would regard the
proximity of tulips and wall flowers as
Punch's nimrod regarded those sinking
klOIStSJ lOI EuSlISuulGu SOON learn 10
manage without the elegances and lux
uries of life, and to be satisfied with q
due supply of its necessities. In the
front rank CT the latter, for the dwelIers
in our northern cllmes, is exercise.
Next to that is the need Of contending
with someone shout something"
But amid the delightful surroundings
afforded by Chillington Park, the Joyous
activity and grace OF the young girls put
to shame the blase E1glishman- about
town, and compelled more than one to
forget his inane draw and that adopted
manner which is so suggestive of perpet-
ual boredom and effeminate weakness;
while even amid the crowd, many couples
could have their special tete-a-tete I'M
known to chaperone-that tete-s-tete
when lips can form tender words uuheard
| by others, and feyes look love 70 eyes
that speak again for such gatherings
are excellent for the purpose, es two may
| isolate themselves while the world surges
closely round them. They NAV be close
together, and yet seem practically far
| apart; and On these occasions, topic and
tone, glance and manner, may wax peril
ously confidential indeed.
Tired of playing, Melsnie Talbot had
taken 6 seat on the rustic sofa, Ct little
distance from the numerous party, and
there she had been joined by Miss Ire
mayne, who asked, in t1e most casual
way, apparently, the question with which
this chapter opens.
The claim to q prior intimacy on the
part of Miss Tremsyne, and so far sway
as India, too, was in itself displeasing to
Melanie Talbot, who, however, could not
! deny that Hllds was striking figure in
her well-plumed bat and very piQuante